ANNAPOLIS – A new poll shows Maryland voters are less confident in the state’s direction than they were at the beginning of the year, a change political observers chalk up to constant discussion of increased taxes as the state confronts a budget shortfall
Maryland
O’Malley Warns of Dire Consequences if Lawmakers Don’t Approve His Budget
ANNAPOLIS – Park rangers, police, social workers and teachers will all be hit with funding cuts if the General Assembly does not settle on a budget plan in the upcoming special session, Gov
Maryland Puts Welcome Mat Out for Virginia Immigrants
WASHINGTON – A resolution passed in Virginia’s Prince William County last week to crack down on illegal immigrants might bring a mass relocation to welcoming states like Maryland, experts said
^Refugees Fly Solo After Church Service Shuts Down
HAGERSTOWN – Refugees already facing a chilly reception here will have to fend for themselves as the resettlement group that brought them to town reduces services and eventually closes down
Court Rules That Police Need Only Reasonable Suspicion to Pull Over a Car
ANNAPOLIS – A divided Court of Appeals ruled Friday that police need only reasonable suspicion to pull a car over, a lower standard than probable cause
Education, Hygiene Key to Stopping ‘Superbug’
WASHINGTON – Health officials are targeting sports teams in an effort to stop recent outbreaks of a “superbug,” a drug-resistant strain of staph infection, in Maryland and Virginia
‘Value-Added’ Farming Provides Extra Income, Extra Worry for Farmers
ANNAPOLIS – Holly Foster spends her days shuttling to Pennsylvania for weekly cheese-making sessions with an Amish expert, then to farmer’s markets throughout Maryland to sell her gourmet cheeses like cave-aged Chapelle
^Howard County, Comptroller Look to Tax Records to Find Kids for Health Program
ANNAPOLIS – Howard County officials and the state Comptroller’s Office are pushing ahead with plans to recruit more children for a federally funded health insurance program, even as the program’s future is up in the air
Prince George’s County to Release Money to Keep Health System Afloat
CHEVERLY – Prince George’s County Executive Jack Johnson said Friday the county will give Dimensions Healthcare System a much-needed infusion of cash within weeks, temporarily ending a months-long feud over the ailing hospital system’s leadership
^Even After Deregulation, No Relief from High Electricity Bills
BALTIMORE – The average consumer saw a 72 percent spike in electricity bills in June 2006, but fewer than 3 percent of residential customers are shopping for a better rate, according to the Office of the People’s Counsel